No. 450. Cuyuni, all this voyage, from Topuquen to the Cuyuni, taking up three days. The Yuruary is very much impeded with rocks, and consequently, it is difficult to navigate, unless the river be more than half in flood. On this day we rode five hours on the Cuyuni and three on the Yuruary and Yuruan, and during all this day's journey the river was in a good state, its width about 200 yards, with depth enough for any kind of launch. We encamped at 4 in the afternoon on the Island of Chimiri. On the 1st December we left the Island of Chimiri, and proceeded in good water to the rapid of Marapi, and we encamped at the mouth of the Lost Creek ("Caño Perdido "), having this day travelled eight hours. On the 2nd we departed from the Lost Creek, and at a short distance came to the rapid Mara, where there are some 2 leagues of rapids; it is a bad way all through until the rapid Aguarari be passed, then the river continues good to the mouth of the Curumo, where we encamped this day, having rowed for ten hours. On the 3rd we left the mouth of the Curumo at 8 in the morning, on account of having left in this place six arrobas (about 150 lbs. weight) of cassava bread and four of meat (100 lbs. weight) to await our return, and in front of this mouth, and all along the creek, there is high mountainous land to the bank of the Cuyuni, and in the lower part suitable for a village and tillage of the land, flat but high. During all this day we proceeded in good water to the Island of Maiparipati, where we encamped, having travelled this day eight hours. On the 4th we departed from Maiparipati, and we proceeded all this day in good water for eight hours, encamping on the Island of Acayo. On the 5th we left Acayo, and at a short distance we came to the rapid of Canayma, where the Cuyuni divides itself into two branches as far as the Island of Araripira, where we remained, having only gone during this day four hours, on account of having met some Indians who were complaining against the Indian Manuyari, who had taken them prisoners and carried them to the Dutch, who kept them two months working, and after that sent them to their village, the said Manuyari bidding them tell the Father of their village that he would kill him and burn the village, for which purpose he would ask the Dutch for help. On account of which, and in view of the complaint which they made me of this Indian, knowing at the same time that he had already killed the daughter of the Indian Cuayari, of the same village of Topuquen, I resolved (as he was living, as they told me, actually on the Cuyuni as a spy and sentinel of the Dutch) to take two experienced Indians of those whom I met for the purpose of apprehending this Indian on account of his insupportable audacity. Besides what I have just mentioned, these No. 450. Indians also informed me that he had also carried away an Indian woman named Josefa from the Indians of Panapana about three years ago, and that he had her with him, and that this same Manuyari was the very one who was continually inciting the Dutch to come and burn and destroy the villages of the Capuchins. Considering, therefore, that if he were not apprehended, and if warned might go and inform the Dutch, and, consequently, I should not be able to carry out my commission, or might be surprised, for all these reasons I thought it well that he should be seized, and on this understanding I dispatched the Indians above referred to to the village of Topuquen, having now informed myself of all that might assist me on my voyage. And in regard to the fact that there had remained in the port of Cura forty Carib Indians of Guascipati and Cumano, who were going down with cargoes of hammocks and deerskins to sell to the Dutch, without mentioning those who would go from Morucuri, Caraguachi, Miamo, Carapo, and all the others who annually descend by the Yuruari and Curumo carrying hammocks, for since the planting of tobacco has been prohibited they do not take any, I warned these Indians to tell those who were going down what had happened to them, so that they might return to their villages, as it was imperative to seize this Indian, so that, on this ground, they might excuse themselves from going to the Dutch from fear of what might happen to themselves. We passed the rest of the day here, and stayed until the following, when the Indians went up stream to Topuquen, and we went on down stream. On the 6th we left the said Island Araripira, and went on during the whole day through bad water, the greater part rapids and falls ; and having proceeded for nine hours, we reached the rapid of Giromirispo, which is a muddy place, although short. We remained here until the following day. On the seventh day we left Giromirispo, and we proceeded during the whole eight hours through bad water as far as the mule pass, which they call Notupicay, and from there it continues good, without rapids, to Tapujumo, where we encamped. On the eighth day we left Tapujumo; we only passed one rapid, and the rest of the river is navigable, and on account of it raining very much we only rowed during seven hours, and we encamped on the Island of Acay uiri. On the ninth day we left Acay uiri, and we rowed the whole day (nine hours) in good water, passing only one rapid, and we passed the night at Point Capachi. On the tenth day we departed from Capachi, and after passing some rapids, not of the largest, we passed the night at the mouth of the Creek Tupuro, having rowed ten hours' journey to the head of the Rapid Camaria, which is 2 leagues long, and ends at the mouth of the Cuyuni, No. 450. a short distance, about a quarter of a league. before the Cuyuni flows into the Masuruni, in the fork of which a Dutchman lives, named Daniel, with four companions, very many negroes and Indian slaves, all his. From the mouth of this Creek Tupuro there is a road to the foot of the rapid where the Carib Manuyari has his house, and he it is who keeps up this road opposite Daniel's house. The tide reaches above this rapid. From this to the fortress of Essequibo there are only two floods on the southern part of the River Cuyuni. There is a road which comes out at the Masuruni, where there are some Dutchmen with a Carib village. We arrived at the said mouth of the Tupuro at daybreak. On the eleventh day I dispatched the corporal, three of the militiamen, and fifteen Caribs to apprehend the Indian Manuyari, and we, with the others, remained to guard the canoes; and at 12 o'clock at night they returned with the said Manuyari, whom they found in his plantation 3 leagues distant from the port, having taken the Indian woman from Panapana, named Josefa, and ten others. On the twelfth day we departed from the mouth of the said Creek Tupuro on our return, not being able to delay longer in this place on account of having seized this Indian, and because the Dutch, Aruacas, and Caribs being very constantly engaged in fishing in the River Cuyuni, our voyage might have been discovered. We passed the night at the rapid of Tosqueñe. On the thirteenth day we left Tosqueñe, and in twelve days and the day at Tupuro, which makes thirteen, we arrived at the mouth of the Curumo on the 24th December, where we remained two days roving about, hunting, and resting ourselves. On the 27th I went up the Curumo with the Spaniards who accompanied me and nine Caribs, leaving the remainder at the mouth of the Curumo awaiting the canoes, for the pilots told us that we could only continue the river journey two days more. We only rowed seven hours this day. On the 28th we continued our voyage, always in good water and deep enough for any small sailing-boat, but not for launches. We rowed for this day eight hours. On the 29th we continued our journey, and only rowed for four hours, as hunger did not permit us to do any more; and having passed the Creek Guaramo, half a league distant, we reached the port where the Indians say that it is the custom to leave the canoes, and presuming that the river might be difficult, or that it was an old open way, I fell into the mistake which I afterwards discovered. On the 30th I sent the canoes away to Cura, and continued the journey by land with six Caribs and the Spaniards, and we walked in this day during six hours, as we were obliged to look for something to eat. On the 31st we left, and having walked during this day for eight No. 450. hours we passed the night, as on the other days, on the bank of the Curumo, which wherever we came to the river was found to be good for navigation and without any rapid, on account of which I repented very much of having sent away the canoes. On the 1st January we continued the journey, and on this day we walked for nine hours with great labour, for during the whole day and night it never ceased raining. But hunger obliged us, and with suffering we passed this day. On the 2nd we continued the journey. We marched for nine hours, and it also rained nearly the whole day. On the 3rd we set forward the journey, and marched for six hours, for, apart from the rain, it was necessary to look for something to eat. On the 4th we continued our journey, and after two hours' walking we entered upon a Savannah which there is just before coming out to the Creek Mutanambo, (?) which we crossed, and after a league of mountain, we entered upon the Savannahs of the Curumo, and we continued through various Savannahs and bits of wood to the bank of the Curumo, where we passed the night, having walked during the whole of this day ten hours, and through the Savannahs, the way which leads to Tumeremo. But it was not known whether it was far or near, and as we were obliged to look for something to eat, we remained the day following fishing, and I sent off a letter to Tumeremo with two Indians that they might send us supplies. On the 6th we left Curumo, and two hours after we met with supplies which Father Mariano sent us, and after having satisfied our hunger, we started off and arrived at Tumeremo, having walked during the entire day four hours through good Savannahs, both before and after Curumo, which is quite navigable, without rapids, unless the fierce summer dries it up, as they say, but only for a short time. It is a river abundant in game and fish with fertile woodlands on one side of the river, and another which has been much inhabited by Caribs, for there are still found in various parts of the valley groves of lemon trees; it runs north and south. On the 8th we set out for Topuquen, after having rested ourselves for a day, and we arrived after six leagues' walking, where the canoes which I dispatched from the mouth of the Curomo were to await us. Up to the 11th, seeing that they were retarded, I wrote to the Governor announcing my arrival and the cause of detention. On the 22nd I reached the town of Upata sick with fever, having left Corporal Mora in Topuquen until the arrival of the canoes. On the 27th the Corporal of the town arrived with the militiamen, and having by my order left the Indian prisoners, male and female, in the villages of Topuquen and Carapo, except the Indian Manuyari and the Indian woman Josefa, of Panapana, who were to be brought to the No. 450. capital and placed at the disposal of the Governor, having learned that the said Josefa had been left by her brother, who is in Panapana, to become the wife of the said Manuyari on the condition and contract that he should make him a plantation for the time when he might fly from the village of Panapana to go to live with this Manuyari. On the 29th I left the said town with three militiamen and the corporal, and having arrived on the 30th at San Miguel, I went to the fort of Guayana in search of a vessel, leaving Corporal Mora, the militiamen, and the prisoners at San Miguel. On the 2nd February I left the fort in a sailing-boat with five rowers which I took from the village of Puga, and I arrived at San Miguel, where I took up the people I had left there, and then continued my journey until the 5th instant, on which I arrived at the capital, and having met on this day a canoe from Panapana near the port of the said village, I sent off the Indian woman Josefa, as she was very ill. (Signed) ANTONIO LOPEZ DE LA PUENTE. Guayana, February 5, 1789. Note.--That the River Curumo is navigable the greater part of the year for sailing-boats and canoes, and in flood time even for large vessels. By this river there is a great saving of rapids in going to Essequibo, which abound in the Yuruari and Cuyuni to the mouth of the Curumo. Note. In the River Cuyuni, notwithstanding the bad passes that it has, one can navigate with launches and sailing-boats, and in the season of the year that it is in flood even frigates may pass the rapids. (Signed) ANTONIO LOPEZ. Guayana, February 5, 1789. No. 451. Report of the Fiscal, dated April 2, 1789, as to the Founding of Tumeremo. [Reprinted from Blue Book, No. 3, p. 341.] His Majesty's Fiscal has seen the despatch of the Governor of Guayana relative to the request of the devout Father Prefect and Capuchin missionaries of Catalonia of the said province, that there be granted to them sacred vessels, ornaments, and bells for the church of the new cattle-farm of Tumeremo, which they denominate the village of Nuestra Señora de Belen, with the documents which he annexes, and says: That the necessary license for the foundation of this village not yet being granted, nor the selection of its site approved, notwithstanding that the community and Assistants have arranged it, there can be no question at present of |